There is provided a catalyst comprising nickel supported on a pillared vacancy titanate material There is also provided a method for preparing this catalyst. There is further provided a process for oligomerizing ethylene using this catalyst.
A variety of oligomerization catalysts have been utilized to convert, i.e., oligomerize, ethylene into olefinic products of higher molecular weight, e.g., to dimer, trimer, tetramer or the like. However, the character and relative proportions of the product mixture are greatly dependent upon the particular catalyst employed. One process is that of Bailey et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,581,228, which employs a supported nickel oxide catalyst. This catalyst composition produces a product mixture consisting of dimeric products as well as olefinic products in the higher molecular weight range, e.g., trimer and tetramer products.
The oligomerization of ethylene over a supported nickel oxide catalyst is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,839, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.